[Exclusive] Korea's Largest Offshore Wind Farm Relies on Chinese Vessels and Technicians

Nakwol Offshore Wind Farm Adds China-Built Hansan 2
Tugboats and Cable-Laying Vessels Also Imported from China
Chinese Technical Staff Play Key Roles in Offshore Wind Construction
Industry Voices Concern Over Security Gaps Due to Dependence

"Every morning and evening, numerous Chinese workers board and return on ships."

On June 2, at Gaema-ri Port in Yeonggwang County, South Jeolla Province. When asked about the number of workers involved in the installation of the Nagwol Offshore Wind Power Complex nearby, local residents replied as such. From early morning, Chinese workers line up to board the vessels, and by sunset, they return—a scene that has become routine. Gaema Port and Songi Island serve as key bases for crew transfer vessels (CTVs) that transport technicians involved in the Nagwol Offshore Wind Power Complex project.

While the domestic offshore wind power infrastructure and the training of specialized personnel have lagged behind, Chinese vessels and technical crews are filling key roles. As reliance on China increases, concerns are growing over potential gaps in security management at energy infrastructure construction sites.

According to the wind power industry on June 9, Chinese-built installation vessels continue to be deployed at the Yeonggwang Nagwol Offshore Wind Power Complex construction site, which is being developed by Nagwol Blue Heart. Following the deployment of the offshore wind turbine installation vessel (WTIV) Hansan 1, the jack-up barge Hansan 2 has also been brought in.

Nagwol Offshore Wind Power: Hansan 2 Deployed Following Hansan 1

The Nagwol Offshore Wind Power Complex, scheduled for completion this year, has a capacity of 364.8MW, making it the largest domestic offshore wind farm to date. Sixty-four 5.7MW-class offshore turbines are being installed near Anmado and Songi Island in Yeonggwang County, South Jeolla Province. Previously, the largest domestic offshore wind project had a scale of 100MW. Yet, the actual installation site is being led by Chinese vessels and technical staff.

The jack-up barge Hansan 2, operated by Hansan Maritime following its acquisition, is docked at the port. Courtesy of the reader.

Hansan 2, registered in the ship registry in January this year, was built at Yahua Shipyard in China and launched in April 2021. Hansan Maritime acquired the vessel in January this year. Hansan Maritime is owned by Samhae ENC, a subsidiary of Myungwoon Industrial Development, which is leading the Nagwol Offshore Wind Power project. The company also holds Hansan 1.

Constructing an offshore wind power complex requires numerous vessels, including installation vessels, CTVs for transporting workers, and service operation vessels (SOVs) for maintenance. In fact, up to 50 ships have reportedly been mobilized at times for the construction of the Nagwol Offshore Wind Power Complex.

Among these, major vessels such as installation ships were acquired from China. Installation vessels remain on-site to assemble and install structures like towers, nacelles, and blades.

The installation vessel Hansan 1, currently operating at the Nagwol Offshore Wind Power Complex, was originally a Chinese vessel named Shunyi 1600. In October 2024, it entered Korea but was brought in as "equipment" rather than a "ship," sparking controversy over violations of the Ship Act. In response, Myungwoon Industrial Development acquired the vessel and reflagged it as a Korean ship.

Myungwoon Industrial Development additionally deployed the jack-up barge Hansan 2 to the site earlier this year, following Hansan 1. The deployment of Hansan 2 was intended to fill operational gaps at the site.

Initially, both Hansan 1 and Hyundai Frontier, built by Hyundai Steel Industries, were working at Nagwol Offshore Wind Power. However, when Hyundai Frontier moved to the Shinan Ui Offshore Wind Power construction project, Hansan 2 was brought in as a replacement.

It has also been reported that, in addition to Hansan 1 and 2, several other Chinese-built vessels, such as Hanul 1, 2, and 3, are operating at the Nagwol Offshore Wind Power construction site. Hanul 1 and 2 are tugboats required for moving installation vessels, while Hanul 3 is a cable-laying vessel used to install submarine cables.

Chinese Technical Staff Play a Key Role

It is not just the vessels that have arrived. Along with the ships, technical experts have also been staying in Korea and playing critical roles. It is known that 70 to 80 Chinese technicians are stationed on Hansan 1 and 2. This means that the key personnel needed for offshore wind installation are still Chinese.

Some industry insiders are concerned that the heavy reliance on foreign personnel for domestic offshore wind installation could result in security management gaps. There is always the possibility that information about Korea's submarine topography could be leaked externally. One industry official pointed out, "A systematic management and verification process is needed for the submarine-related information acquired by Chinese technicians during turbine installation."

The installation vessel Hansan 1 is installing blades at the Nagwol offshore wind power complex. Myungwoon Industrial Development

There have also been calls to verify whether the crane operators on installation vessels possess the required qualifications. According to the National Technical Qualifications Act, those operating tower cranes must obtain a tower crane operator's license and, separately, a construction machinery operator's license from the local government. Failure to comply with these procedures could mean operating without a valid license.

Myungwoon Industrial Development: "Domestic Vessel Shortage Inevitable...Gradual Technology Transfer"

Regarding the importation of many Chinese-built vessels, a senior official at Myungwoon Industrial Development explained, "Given the shortage of vessels needed for offshore wind power construction, there was no other choice but to meet the completion schedule." In fact, Hyundai Frontier is currently the only domestically built installation vessel. The installation vessel currently being built by Hanwha Ocean for the Shinan Ui Offshore Wind Power project is not expected to be completed until 2028.

Regarding the employment of Chinese technicians, the company said, "They have obtained visas through the proper procedures and are working legally," and "qualified personnel are operating the cranes, so there are no legal issues." The official added, "Dozens of Koreans are also on board Hansan 1 and 2 and are receiving technology transfer step by step."

Concerning some of the security concerns raised, the company emphasized, "Chinese technicians do not conduct submarine topography surveys during the installation process," and "workers only check the 64 locations where monopiles are installed, so there is no security risk."

Nevertheless, regarding security concerns over Nagwol Offshore Wind Power, the government has decided to focus on a thorough security review. An official from the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment explained, "For Nagwol Offshore Wind Power, an additional security review will be conducted together with experts at the time of completion."

Experts point out that fundamental issues such as the lack of domestic installation vessels and specialized personnel must be addressed. Professor Lee Sangil of the Department of Wind Power Engineering at Kunsan National University stated, "There is little large-scale offshore wind installation experience in Korea," and, "To ensure the smooth progress of current domestic offshore wind power projects, it is urgent to expand infrastructure such as installation vessels and to train related specialists."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.